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Antibacterial Agents

Washing your hands is supposed to be a good thing. But doing so repeatedly with antibacterial soap can actually cause more harm than good.

Antibacterial soaps and other products, such as dishwashing detergent and kitchen cleanser, contain tricloban and triclosan, which react with chlorinated water to produce chloroform, a probable carcinogen. They also contribute to breeding resistant germs and can be harmful to the environment. But they are now so pervasive they’ve been found in mother’s breast milk, in soil, and in fertilizer used to grow the food we eat.

If these products are harmful, why use them? Successful marketing campaigns have convinced many consumers these products are necessary to kill germs and keep us healthy. They aren’t. Regular soap and water will do the trick just as effectively, and without the harmful side effects. Studies have found no benefit whatsoever to using antibacterial soaps. Even hospitals prefer not to use them, choosing instead alcohol-based cleaners that dry quickly.

Today, consumers also have the choice of buying “green” household soaps and cleansers that contain no chemicals at all. These products have been shown to work equally well and can be found in a growing number of stores, including Target and Linens ‘n Things, along with many grocery chains and health food stores. Even mainstream brands have begun to offer products labeled “free and clear,” meaning unnecessary additives, such as perfumes and dyes, have been left out of the ingredients.

Washing your hands should be a good thing. And it still can be, if you use simple soap and water with no chemical additives.

For more information about this story, visit the Environmental Working Group.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org